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M3 - Lesson 2: Comparing Fibre Channel, iSCSI, and Fibre Channel over…

- - - - A SAN. In a Fibre Channel implementation, a SAN is the storage backend. It serves as a Fibre Channel target, which is the component that listens for requests from computers.
      - A computer with an HBA card. In a Fibre Channel implementation, a computer with an HBA card is an initiator, because it initiates requests when it needs to access data on the SAN.
      - A Fibre Channel switch. In a Fibre Channel implementation, you typically use Fibre Channel switches so that computers do not connect directly to a SAN. SANs often have a very limited number of target ports, and those ports almost always connect to Fibre Channel switches.
    - - Gives you the benefits of Fibre Channel
      - offers outstanding performance, particularly when you use it over your inexpensive, and often preexisting, Ethernet infrastructure.
      - It is easier to manage a single network topology than a complex multitype network.
      - Specialized training typically is not required.
      - You can use many of the standard network troubleshooting tools with Fibre Channel over Ethernet.
    - - Arbitrated loop: In an arbitrated loop, Fibre Channel hosts and storage devices connect in a ring, and you do not need switches. This option was an inexpensive way to begin using Fibre Channel when it was first introduced. However, it is quite rare today because Fibre Channel and converged switches are very affordable.
      - Point-to-point: In a point-to-point deployment, a Fibre Channel host connects directly to a storage device, and you do not need switches. However, organizations rarely use this option because a very limited number of ports are available on storage devices.
      - Switched fabric: This is the most common Fibre Channel deployment. Switched fabric environments use Fibre Channel switches. All Fibre Channel hosts connect to Fibre Channel switches, and the Fibre Channel switches connect to the backend storage.
  - - - The infrastructure requirements of Fibre Channel are often extensive for new storage deployments.
      - Fabric or network switches. In a network that uses only fiber optic cables, you might use Fibre Channel switches. However, many networks use more than one type of cable, and you might combine separate networks that each are using a different type of cable. In these converged networks, switches must be able to handle multiple types of traffic and cables.
      - HBAs. An HBA is an add-on card or functionality that is built into a computer’s motherboard to enable communication over a Fibre Channel or Ethernet network.
      - Additional cabling. Cabling is a critical component, and it typically consists of fiber optic or Ethernet cabling.
      - Cable Types
        
        Single-mode fiber optic
        
        Multi-mode fiber optic.
        
        Ethernet over Copper
        
        Ethernet: Fibre Channel over Ethernet
        
        Ethernet: Fibre Channel over IP
    - - One of the most important benefits of using Fibre Channel to connect to a storage environment is the bandwidth and reliability that Fibre Channel can deliver. Currently, with bandwidth speeds up to 16 Gbps per port, Fibre Channel outperforms Ethernet on a per-port basis.
      - The most recent Fibre Channel standard is 32 Gbps.
    - - Fibre Channel provides good connectivity, reliability, and security
      - Additionally, because Fibre Channel deployments typically use a dedicated infrastructure, it is more secure and less susceptible to attack or degradation
- - - - IP network: You can use standard network interface adapters and standard Ethernet protocol network switches to connect servers to a storage device. To provide sufficient performance, the network should provide speeds of at least 1 Gbps, and should provide multiple paths to the iSCSI target.
      - iSCSI targets: ISCSI targets present or advertise storage, similar to controllers for hard drives of locally attached storage. However, servers access this storage over a network, rather than accessing it locally. Many storage vendors implement hardware-level iSCSI targets as part of their storage device’s hardware.
      - iSCSI initiators: The iSCSI target displays storage to the iSCSI initiator, or client. The iSCSI initiator acts as a local disk controller for the remote disks.
      - iSCSI qualified name (IQN): IQNs are unique identifiers that iSCSI uses to address initiators and targets on an iSCSI network. When you configure an iSCSI target, you must configure the IQN for the iSCSI initiators that will connect to the target. iSCSI initiators also use IQNs to connect to iSCSI targets.
  - - - Authentication: You can enable Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) to authenticate initiator connections or enable reverse CHAP to allow the initiator to authenticate the iSCSI target.
      - Query initiator computer for ID
      - Virtual hard disk support: You create iSCSI virtual disks as virtual hard disks. Windows Server 2016 supports both .vhd and .vhdx files, and .vhdx supports up to 64 TB capacity.
      - Manageability: You manage the iSCSI Target Server by using Server Manager or Windows PowerShell.